| The country of Panama holds a unique strategic | | | | fail with yellow fever, malaria and various plagues |
| geographic location, and it has tried its best throughout | | | | holding sway. This project, with the idea of building a |
| the ages to exploit this to the full. From the time of the | | | | level canal, was ultimately abandoned at the turn of |
| Portobello fairs to the first transisthmian railroad to the | | | | the century. |
| present waterway, often considered to be the eighth | | | | Eventually the creation of a canal was to become a |
| wonder of the world. | | | | military imperative for the United States who |
| A canal linking the Atlantic with the Pacific oceans had | | | | commenced (fruitless) negotiations with Colombia in |
| been a dream since the first Spanish colonizations. In | | | | 1902. Finally, Panama declared its independence from |
| fact it was Charles V of Spain who first envisaged a | | | | Colombia in 1903 and the project went ahead. The |
| shortcut through the Panamanian jungle to ease the | | | | monumental construction took 10 years to complete at |
| difficult crossing. So in 1524 he ordered a survey of | | | | a cost of $387 million. |
| the land. However what inspired the king initially was | | | | The Panama Canal is 50 miles in length running from |
| not so much the possibilities for trade, so much as how | | | | northwest to southeast. About 8 hours is needed for a |
| to bring back to Spain with least difficulty the hoards of | | | | typical vessel to transit the canal, whilst being lifted |
| treasure recently discovered in Peru. Unfortunately for | | | | gradually to a height of 85 feet through three sets of |
| him, earth-moving techniques were to need major | | | | locks - the Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores. |
| improvement before his idea could be undertaken. | | | | Operating the gigantic locks consumes vast amounts |
| It was not until 1826 when the United States started | | | | of fresh water. For every ship passing along the |
| investigating a treaty with South American countries to | | | | waterway, around 52 million gallons of water flows into |
| "protect the companies intending to open a | | | | the locks then out to sea. This comes from the Gatun |
| communication system between both oceans", that | | | | and Madden lakes. The lock gates, themselves |
| the building of a canal attracted worldwide interest, | | | | engineering wonders, consist of pairs of towering |
| with France, England and the United States looking for | | | | leaves from 47 to 82 feet high, 65 feet wide and 7 |
| locations and means to avoid the long, difficult and | | | | feet thick. Their weight is from 400 to 700 tons, yet |
| dangerous voyage around Cape Horn. The first | | | | each can be opened or closed in 2 minutes, powered |
| attempt at this was the construction of the | | | | by electric motors. |
| Transisthmian Railroad in 1855, which eliminated about | | | | To navigate the canal, a ship's captain must relinquish |
| 8,000 miles from the journey. | | | | responsibility for his vessel to a Panama Canal Pilot. |
| The first attempt at a canal was in 1854 by a | | | | Currently over 250 pilots steer over 14,000 ships |
| multinational expedition comprising the United States, | | | | through the canal each year. The total time spent in |
| France, England and New Granada. But the | | | | the canal is around a full day. Navigating through the |
| impenetrability of the jungle was to take its toll and the | | | | canal is not cheap for vessels, averaging several 10s |
| attempt failed with many resultant deaths. But not to | | | | of thousands of dollars, depending upon the size of |
| be daunted in this most crucial endeavor, in 1878 the | | | | vessel and its contents. However, whatever the toll, it |
| French obtained a concession from Colombia to build a | | | | is typically ten times what it would have cost to |
| waterway. Yet again, after seven years of fighting | | | | navigate around Cape Horn. |
| disease and other jungle problems, the attempt was to | | | | |